Eucalyptus lucens

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Shiny-leaved mallee.jpg
Eucalyptus lucens.jpg
Eucalyptus lucens near Hermannsburg, Northern Territory
Status DECF P1.svg
Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. lucens
Binomial name
Eucalyptus lucens

Eucalyptus lucens, commonly known as the shiny-leaved mallee, [2] is a species of mallee that is endemic to northwestern Australia. It has small, pale greyish to brown bark, glistening, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven on a branching peduncle, creamy white flowers and conical fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus lucens is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) but sometimes as high as 5 m (16 ft), and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth pale grey to brownish bark, but often with some rough, fibrous or flaky bark near the base. Young plants and coppice regrowth have lance-shaped leaves arranged alternately, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long and 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same shade of glossy green on both sides, lance-shaped, 80–120 mm (3.1–4.7 in) long and 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) wide, tapering to a petiole 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long. The flowers are mostly arranged on the ends of the branches in groups of seven on a thin, branching peduncle 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) long. Flowering occurs between December and March and the flowers are creamy white. The fruit is a woody, conical capsule 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and wide with the valves near rim level. [2] [3] [4] [5]

This eucalypt is a comparatively rare species but is conspicuous due to its glistening leaves, contrasting with those of the few other eucalypts growing in similar areas. [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus lucens was first formally described in 1978 by Ian Brooker and Clyde Dunlop from a specimen collected by Dunlop on Mount Sonder in 1973. The description was published in the journal Australian Forest Research. [5] [6] The specific epithet (lucens) is a Latin word meaning "shining", "glistening" or "polished", [7] referring to the shining leaves. [5]

Distribution and habitat

Shiny-leaved mallee grows in open shrubland on shallow soils on sandstone and quartzite hills, mainly on the ranges west of Alice Springs in the northern Territory, but also in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. [3] [4] [8]

Conservation status

This mallee is classified as "Priority One" in Western Australia, by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, [8] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

Eucalyptus zopherophloia, commonly known as the blackbutt mallee, is a species of spreading mallee that is endemic to an area on the west coast of Western Australia. It has rough bark over part or all of the trunk, smooth grey bark above, narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or eleven, creamy white flowers and conical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus lansdowneana</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus lansdowneana, commonly known as the crimson mallee or the red-flowered mallee box, is a species of slender stemmed, straggly mallee that is endemic to a restricted area of South Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark at the base, smooth, grey over creamy-white bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, crimson flowers and barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus grossa</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus grossa, commonly known as coarse-leaved mallee, is a species of mallee or rarely a straggly tree, that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous bark on the trunk and all but the thinnest branches, broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, yellowish green flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus foecunda</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus foecunda, commonly known as narrow-leaved red mallee, Fremantle mallee or coastal dune mallee, is a species of plant in the myrtle family that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk, smooth bark above, narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or eleven, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped fruit. It was previously included with the more widespread Eucalyptus leptophylla.

<i>Eucalyptus albida</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus albida, commonly known as the white-leaved mallee, is a mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth white or greyish brown bark, lance shaped adult leaves, and flowers in groups of between seven and eleven. The flowers are creamy white and the fruit are hemispherical to cone-shaped. The juvenile leaves that are often retained on mature plants are arranged in opposite pairs, egg-shaped to heart-shaped and bluish grey.

Eucalyptus gypsophila, also known as the kopi mallee, is a species of mallee that is native to Western Australia and South Australia. It has rough, flaky bark on the lower part of the trunk, smooth light grey bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds mostly in groups of between seven and eleven, creamy white flowers and conical to cylindrical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus latens</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus latens, commonly known as narrow-leaved red mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has smooth grey and coppery bark, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven to eleven or more, creamy white flowers and small barrel-shaped to shortened spherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus leucophylla</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus leucophylla, commonly known as Cloncurry box, is a species of tree or mallee that is predominantly found in northwest Queensland with small populations possibly also occurring in the eastern Kimberley region Western Australia. It has rough, finely fissured bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus lucasii</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus lucasii, commonly known as Barlee box, is a species of mallee that is endemic to central Western Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes rough near the base, with broadly lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds mostly in groups of between seven and eleven on a branched peduncle, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical or conical fruit.

Eucalyptus olivina is a species of mallee or a tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth greyish bark, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, creamy white flowers and short barrel-shaped to cup-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus perangusta, commonly known as fine-leaved mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, glossy green, linear leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, creamy white flowers and short, barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus platycorys</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus platycorys, commonly known as Boorabbin mallee, is a species of mallee, rarely a small tree, that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, dark grey, fibrous and flaky bark on the trunk, smooth greyish bark above, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in group of three, creamy white flowers and cup-shaped to cylindrical fruit.

Eucalyptus ravida is a species of small mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and conical to hemispherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus rigidula</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus rigidula, commonly known as stiff-leaved mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark, linear to narrow elliptic or narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of nine or eleven, creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus sheathiana</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus sheathiana, commonly known as ribbon-barked gum or ribbon-barked mallee, is a species of tree or a mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth bark that is shed in long ribbons, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus tortilis is a species of mallet and a gimlet that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and hemispherical to cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus uncinata</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus uncinata, commonly known as the hook-leaved mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of nine to thirteen, creamy white flowers and barrel-shaped to oval or cylindrical fruit.

Eucalyptus xerothermica is a species of mallee or a tree that is endemic to northern Western Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of three or seven, creamy white flowers and conical to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus calcareana</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus calcareana, commonly known as the Nundroo mallee or Nundroo gum, is a mallee or a small tree that is endemic to the south coast of Australia. It has smooth, greyish or cream-coloured bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, creamy-white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus chlorophylla</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus chlorophylla, commonly known as green-leaf box, northern glossy-leaved box or glossy-leaved box, is a species of eucalypt that is endemic to northern Australia. It is a tree or mallee, with hard, rough bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white flowers and usually conical fruit.

References

  1. ↑ "Eucalyptus lucens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Eucalyptus lucens". Alice Springs Town Council. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Eucalyptus lucens". Euclid: Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 Chippendale, George M. "Eucalyptus lucens". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Brooker, M. Ian H.; Dunlop, Clyde R. (1978). "Three new species of Eucalyptus and notes on E. tectifa F.Muell. in the Northern Territory". Australian Forest Research. 8: 209–211. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  6. ↑ "Eucalyptus longissima". APNI. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  7. ↑ Stearn, William T. (1995). Botanical Latin : history, grammar, syntax, terminology, and vocabulary (4th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p.  444. ISBN   0881923214.
  8. 1 2 "Eucalyptus lucens". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  9. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
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